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Old 07-18-2016, 07:06 PM   #1
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towing with a 07 Sequoia

I have had all surge brakes on all my trailers Boats and Lil Snoozy trailer . Well Lil Snoozy just left this afternoon so I guess I'm getting the 21 Escape YaHoo. What type of brake controller does an older car need and where does one put it in ?I have a 7pin for my trailers so where do i go from here ? Thanks Jim
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:18 PM   #2
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First off, you need to update your avatar to your 21....I'd suggest going to your dealer and UHaul and Camping World and get some estimates, the Prodigy seems popular model.
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:28 PM   #3
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Unless the tow vehicle has it's own factory-installed integrated controller (and the Sequoia doesn't), it really doesn't matter what the tow vehicle is - you can use any controller. The inputs to the controller (just power, ground, and a signal that goes on when you push the brake pedal) are universal, and so is the output.

There are plug-in adapters for many vehicles, old and new, to connect both those inputs and the output of common current controllers. With any luck, Toyota wired your Sequoia so all you need to do is mount the controller on the dash and plug in one of those adapters. The owner's manual should mention the place to plug in, if there is one.

The eTrailer web page of brake controllers shows the corresponding wiring adapter with each controller if you select a 2007 Sequoia as your vehicle; they note that the Sequoia must have come from the factory with the 7-pin connector, because the wiring to plug into comes as part of the same package from Toyota. Each adapter ends in the same 4-pin white-bodied plug, because that's what goes into the socket provided somewhere under the dash by Toyota.

If the Sequoia didn't come with the 7-pin socket from the factory, then the rest of the desired wiring probably won't be there, either. That's why controllers listed for Sequoias without the factory wiring package have a wiring adapter that just ends in four plain wires, which you need to find places to connect to.

Funny, I would never think of a current-generation 9-year-old vehicle as "older".
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:30 PM   #4
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I'd suggest going to your dealer and UHaul and Camping World and get some estimates...
The first thing that they will need to know is whether the Sequoia has the factory wiring package or not, so I suggest sorting that out first.
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:46 PM   #5
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I'm sure either of these places would be able to show you what exactly you have and need, particularly the dealer. Also check to make sure you have a towing package and proper sized receiver, again the dealer can punch in your Vin# and give you that info.
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Old 07-18-2016, 08:00 PM   #6
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towing with a 07 Sequia

Just to add, once you know what's needed to wire it, and you're down to the choice of type, I highly recommend a proper proportional controller - not a timed delay controller. The timed delay controllers are very inexpensive, but you get what you pay for.


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Old 07-18-2016, 08:07 PM   #7
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I'm sure either of these places would be able to show you what exactly you have and need, particularly the dealer.
I wouldn't trust a U-Haul dealer to tell me what is needed - they can easily quote (and charge) the cost of custom-wiring the whole installation, when all it needs it a one-minute plug-in effort plus mounting the controller to the dashboard.

Around here, Toyota dealers outsource this sort of work to hitch shops. If it has the towing package you don't need anyone; if it doesn't you might as well go straight to a good hitch shop.

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Also check to make sure you have a towing package and proper sized receiver, again the dealer can punch in your Vin# and give you that info.
A Toyota dealer or Toyota USA customer service could check for the towing package - that's a good idea if you don't already know.

I doubt that it's possible to get anything but a properly sized hitch receiver for a Sequoia, even this less-massive first generation model. No one would bother to make a Class 1 or Class 2 receiver, or a receiver of any class with a smaller than two-inch opening, for this size and type of vehicle. Both Cequent and Curt aftermarket receivers are 2" and Class 4 (matched to the vehicle's towing capacity).
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Old 07-18-2016, 08:09 PM   #8
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Go to Etrailer or some such, they have the cable for the 07.

https://www.etrailer.com/bc-2007_Toyota_Sequoia.htm

Where you mount it is up to you, in my old GMC I screwed the mount to the bottom of the dash on the right side of the steering column.
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Old 07-18-2016, 10:59 PM   #9
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Go to Etrailer or some such, they have the cable for the 07.

https://www.etrailer.com/bc-2007_Toyota_Sequoia.htm
Yes, and the cable depends on the controller. Various different adapters are shown with the corresponding controllers in this page, which is the same link which I provided in post #3.
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Old 07-19-2016, 07:20 AM   #10
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trailer towing

The Sequoia did not have a tow package(it has the aux tranny cooler ) I had a trailer place put on a 7 pin and 6000 lb hitch class 3-4?(6800lb tow rating ) The 7 pin was used with an adapter to get a flat 5 pin to work (boat trailer with disc brakes )
4pin for light trailers and boats with drum brakes
5pin for trailers with surge disc brakes the 5th pin lets the solenoid block the brakes from activating when in reverse .
I'm hoping they did the 7 pin right and I don't have to modify it . I guess take it to a competent trailer place and have a prodigy installed .

Thanks for all the info that this forum supplies Jim
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Old 07-19-2016, 07:34 AM   #11
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I drove my 1996 Tahoe to Chilliwack to pick up my 19 and it had a 7-pin brake controller in it. But I had no confidence it was working properly (I forget exactly why) so I wanted Escape to put in a new one. Escape has a guy, works in a trailer shop just down the road from the factory, and Reace sent me there for a new brake controller. No problem.
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Old 07-19-2016, 08:14 AM   #12
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My controller fit nicely to the right of the steering column. Using the purchased wiring harness designed for a Toyota it was a matter of removing two screws on the chrome door plate and plastic wall liner to expose the panel. The plug only fit into one socket and then it was a matter of routing the wire, coiling up the extra and putting two screws into the dash molding (underside) for the mounting bracket. I did have a tow package.
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Old 07-19-2016, 09:53 AM   #13
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I drove my 1996 Tahoe to Chilliwack to pick up my 19 and it had a 7-pin brake controller in it. But I had no confidence it was working properly (I forget exactly why) so I wanted Escape to put in a new one. Escape has a guy, works in a trailer shop just down the road from the factory, and Reace sent me there for a new brake controller. No problem.
Hi: MyronL... My brake controller sits in the right seat. When she grabs for the door handle I know I have to BRAKE!!! Alf
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Old 07-19-2016, 12:43 PM   #14
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The Sequoia did not have a tow package(it has the aux tranny cooler )...
So I think we can assume all of Toyota's wiring preparation for towing is not there:
  • wire from the battery to the controller with circuit breaker [usually black]
  • wire from the brake pedal switch to the controller [usually red]
  • wire from the battery negative or a good chassis ground to the controller [usually white]
  • wires ending in connector under the dash to connect controller
  • power supply for trailer battery charging (with something to turn it off when the engine is not running) to the hitch area [usually black]
  • wire from the controller area to the hitch area for the controller output [usually blue]
  • high-capacity wire from the battery negative or a good chassis ground to the hitch area [usually white]
But note: "tow package" means different things to different people. To many people it means a hitch and connector for the trailer lights, but for other models Toyota sells a towing preparation package which has the wiring and anything needed for hard use (such as an added or larger transmission fluid cooler). It is possible (although unlikely) that this Sequoia does have the package and all of the wiring preparation, but just didn't come with the actual hitch and 7-pin connector. It's worth confirming.

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Originally Posted by jennykatz View Post
... I had a trailer place put on a 7 pin ...
The 7 pin was used with an adapter to get a flat 5 pin to work (boat trailer with disc brakes )
4pin for light trailers and boats with drum brakes
5pin for trailers with surge disc brakes the 5th pin lets the solenoid block the brakes from activating when in reverse .
That means that (if there was no Toyota wiring for this) the trailer place had to provide wiring and a converter for the lighting circuits (probably using a ready-made harness), and wiring for the reverse light circuit.

The 7-pin connector should be the RV style, with six flat blade contacts around the outside and one round pin in the middle - that's what you need for an Escape or any other modern travel trailer. There's also a different 7-pin connector for commercial trucks, with seven round pins; you would need to replace that if that's what you have.

With any luck, they connected the reverse light circuit to the correct pin of the 7-pin RV connector (which is the centre pin); they likely have it right because that's the only way a normal 7-pin to 5-pin adapter would work. That centre pin connects to a yellow wire in the Escape which just ends at a connection box, ready for whatever you want to use it for. It isn't needed at all in an Escape, but if you want to add reverse lights to the trailer, you have a circuit to supply them with power when the Sequoia is put in reverse.

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Originally Posted by jennykatz View Post
I'm hoping they did the 7 pin right and I don't have to modify it . I guess take it to a competent trailer place and have a prodigy installed .
Unless they were paid to put in wiring that wasn't needed yet - which seems unlikely - they will not have added the wires I listed at the beginning of this post, so they'll need to do them now (again, unless Toyota put them in). Plus someone needs to mount the controller and connect it to these wires. This is all do-it-yourself work if you are interested, but routinely done by hitch shops since most people don't do it themselves.

The Tekonsha Prodigy series of controllers is probably the best known first-rate controller, but
  • there have been three models of Prodigy, and the newest one (P3) hasn't completely replaced the previous one (P2)
  • there are other brands of essentially equivalent controller (and lots of brands and models of lesser stuff you don't want!)
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Old 08-10-2016, 09:16 PM   #15
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Sequoia

Went to Toyota the 07 does not have tow pachage went to hitch place that put on my class4 and 7 pin and they said you have only 5 wires connected they said a prodigy RF preportional trailer mounted braking system. $400 plus. Running 1 wire from battery under car to 7 pin they said that should do it The trailer would not be able to charge batteries with this system. Im having solar put on so that shouldn't be a problem. Im hoping this system will work Anyone out there with same problem
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Old 08-10-2016, 09:34 PM   #16
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Thanks Brian what do you think of the system they want to put in they say you set it once and test it and forget it .?there is no mounting brake controller at all its attachments are through a 12 volt plug in that talks to the brake controller on trailer ? Jim
BTW. I really like this car only 98000 mikes still drives better then some new ones
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Old 08-10-2016, 09:55 PM   #17
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Run from the dealer!! You can buy a P3 from Amazon for $125. Have had 2 charge lines run with fuse and it ran from $50 for the first one to $80 for the 2nd.
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Old 08-11-2016, 12:38 AM   #18
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Went to Toyota the 07 does not have tow pachage went to hitch place that put on my class4 and 7 pin and they said you have only 5 wires connected they said a prodigy RF preportional trailer mounted braking system. $400 plus...
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Run from the dealer!! You can buy a P3 from Amazon for $125. Have had 2 charge lines run with fuse and it ran from $50 for the first one to $80 for the 2nd.
Although Toyota dealers are generally not the place to buy anything other than a Toyota or OEM parts, I believe that those prices and other information are from a hitch shop, not the Toyota dealer.

Also, in this case the shocking price is due to the specification of the Prodigy RF, the radio-linked no-wiring solution... not just an inflated price for a regular Prodigy.
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Old 08-11-2016, 12:43 AM   #19
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Old 08-11-2016, 01:02 AM   #20
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... they said a prodigy RF preportional trailer mounted braking system. $400 plus. ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jennykatz View Post
... what do you think of the system they want to put in they say you set it once and test it and forget it .?there is no mounting brake controller at all its attachments are through a 12 volt plug in that talks to the brake controller on trailer ?
The Prodigy RF is basically a regular Prodigy (the most common full-featured proportional brake controller), but located on the trailer instead of in the tug. Like any proportional controller, it needs:
  • to know when you are pushing the brake pedal
    • a normally installed controller is connected the brake light switch at the brake pedal
    • the Prodigy RF just connects to the brake/turn signals to the trailer instead
  • to measure how hard you're braking, which it does with an accelerometer
    • this doesn't need any connection to the vehicle
  • to get power
    • a normal controller is wired to the tug's battery
    • a Prodigy RF get power from the battery charge line of the tow vehicle's towing socket
  • to send current to the trailer brakes
    • a normal controller is wired to the brake pin of the 7-pin connector
    • the Prodigy RF is plugged into the tow vehicle's socket and the trailer's cord is plugged into it, so the controller can send current to the trailer brakes on the same wire as the trailer would normally get it
  • a display and control buttons for adjustments
    • these are directly on a normal controller
    • with a Prodigy RF they are on a unit which plugs into the lighter socket for power and communicates with the controller by radio - thus the "RF" name - which doesn't need to be held in a constant orientation and so doesn't need permanent mounting

This certainly works, and doesn't require any permanent installation in the tow vehicle (just plug the remote control unit into the lighter socket). A good reason to pick this is a desire to use different tow vehicles, especially rented or borrowed vehicles which you can't wire for a controller.

No controller needs adjustment in normal operation, except when the trailer is changed (to a different trailer, or the load on the the trailer is significantly changed). So a normal proportional controller and a Prodigy RF and similarly "set and forget".

Many people are concerned by the radio connection aspect of this system, not trusting it to control the trailer brakes. The radio connection isn't involved at all in normal braking; it is required only to change settings, or to manually apply the trailer brakes.

A significant point is that the tow vehicle still needs a 7-pin towing receptacle with power wired to the trailer battery charge pin. I suspect that there are few vehicles which are wired with a 7-pin and charge power that don't also have brake controller wiring, so I think that almost entirely kills the appeal of the Prodigy RF.

I wouldn't use a Prodigy RF in this case, where the same tug and trailer are always used together and a normal wired-in installation is not difficult to do.
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